Great replies so far, lots of like minded folks on here.

 

Like several others the break point has been when the repairs start mounting up. Or, when my "needs" change, which is what caused me to buy this one - we bought a boat that we want to tow many thousands of miles.

However, I suspect this round may be a bit different than previous rounds. I usually keep a vehicle 12 years or more. And, if you add that number to my age you get something that starts with "8". So, questions arise like will I still need the truck by then since I'll surely have Dad's truck, although that one ain't gonna be a "work" truck again - I hope. So, I'm guessing age is going to be a major factor in when I sell the truck - my age.

 

For me it's an combination of trusting the vehicle to get me where I need to go and back, and how much money it's costing me to keep it running. I usually keep vehicles 10-12 years.

 

I don't buy really based off the dollars and cents. My purchases are purely emotional most of the time. My currently fleet ranges from a 1991 to a 2011, any of them I'd feel fine driving to FL and back. Age doesn't bother me and nothing I have is high mileage either. I typically buy to keep, so when I get something new I keep the old one also.

I've never bought brand new either.

 

I usually don't wait til they break to get even
usually I dump them before they need tires brakes or any major work.
I have done really good on trading a late model truck in for the last 10+ yrs
I haven't bought a tire brake pad or anything on any of these trucks
I change the oil do fuel filters rotate tires then 2-3 yrs later I get the itch and get a new truck. High rebates and low financing makes it possible for me.
I will have a payment as long as I drive just not a repair payment
The last thing I want is to be the not so proud owner of a broken down truck out of warranty with a big repair bill
This is the way I justify it to myself and it has worked out for me so far
I would have got a 2017 SD but I didn't want to get the first run of a new style

 

I don't have a break even point per se, my 2012 was a good truck and close to being paid for, I had ordered that truck and chose grey for color, that was a mistake! I was looking at 2015's online and found one at a dealer that I have dealt with before, they offered fair money for my old truck and put a lot of money on the hood of the new one, I went from max tow supercab with big mirrors that I hated to a max tow super crew with standard mirrors, I can put clip on mirrors for when I do tow, the bigger cab is a bonus for the dogs. I plan on keeping this truck much longer, this is a supercrew xlt w/302a and max tow.

 

24 mos that's when lease is up

 

In general I like to go 4 years or 90,000, whichever comes first. If I had more money I might go every 6 months or oil change whichever came first.

 

I don't really have a break even point either. My 01 had 260.000 miles on it when it was sold for reasons not related to the truck, it was purchased at 29,000. Best truck I ever had - dependable as the day is long, and the repairs over it's lifetime were minimal. I just bought a 16 and I hope it runs out just as well.

 

I try to keep a vehicle until the warranty is up. I once kept a 92 Explorer for 84,000 miles. That's the most miles on a vehicle for me. My ford's started at a 65 xlt, 66 pickup, 72 F250, 73 Bronco, 75 pickup, 80 F150, 81 Mercury, 86 van, 92 Explorer, 97 F150, 00 Expedition, 03 Expedition, 05 F150, 06 Ranger, 07 Freestyle, 10 F150, 14 F250 and now a 16 F150.

 

I don't know that I have a break-even point. It seems to be different for every vehicle we have ever owned. Work vehicles have a shorter life; simply because tax rules favor turning them over more frequently. For personal vehicles, we aim for 10 years, but have gone longer. The longest was a 1977 Honda Accord that we kept for 21 years. We ended up selling that one to our mechanic, who drove it another 6 years.

 

I usually dont keep my daily driver cars much longer than 3-4 years. I put alot of miles on my cars. the one I had the longest was a 1989 cavalier that I drove for 7 years and 181,000 miles on it myself. I drove it so long because I financed it, so had to keep it. my trucks dont get driven very much. about 5 k a year each. right now I have a 2013 and 2001 F150s. plan to keep the 2013 for a long time. Had a chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 for 21 years and only put 60k on it. now, my disabilities and age will dictate what I do with the cars. I have a hard time getting out of them. have a 97 Honda civic that is reliable, but hard for me to drive sometimes. this honda Ive had for 6 yrs............so its been pretty good.

 

This is a good thread!!!! I usually hold my stuff for over 10 years....I recently traded a 2012 Jeep Wrangler 2 dr on a 2016 f-150 great Black Friday sales!!..... the selling point was they gave me 21,000 for my trade!!! The Ford dealer even said he doesn't no why but jeeps sell like hot cakes! I bought that jeep new in 2012 for around 28,000 I had 56,000 miles on it. Bottom line is I would rather drive a new f-150 than a jeep

 

I generally trade before the 3/36 bumper to bumper warranty expires. Generally you will get a better trade value if your current truck has a little warranty left on it.

I also try to pay mine off in less than 3 years, so I'm in good shape when it comes time to trade.

There are also other factors that come into play when I trade one. If my dealer is loaded up on a similar truck to mine in their used inventory, I will hold until their inventory is down. Helps my trade value when they have low inventory.

I enjoy the negotiations as that's what I do for a living!

 

Never impossible